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fectively pace the lessons. To com- Rhythm lessons in the assigning of beat numbers,
bat this, we were intentional about For our lessons in rhythm, we cre- always by predicting the next num-

seeking specific feedback from the ated vertical columns of notes, in ber, based on the value of the cur-
members. The vocal warm-ups varying meters. As we began, only rent note. Correct numbers would
were met with enthusiasm by the the notes were visible. Going down appear to students, one at a time, to
singers, even though they could each column, students participated confi rm each prediction (Figure 1).
only hear themselves and the con-
ductor.
Comments from singers indicate
the desire to keep using their instru- Figure #1
ment. “It is important to warm up Rhythm Column
even though we can’t hear anyone
because we’re practicing keeping 6 x 1/8 = 6/8 Once there was a visual consensus about assigned
our voice healthy and in shape”) beat numbers, we would perform those numbers in a
and the importance of routine c ➘ 1 rhythmically correct fashion; next, the teacher would

(“Warm-up allows me to mental- recite the numbers while students would participate
ly and physically transition into a on a series of repeated ta syllables; and fi nally, the

more receptive state”). The use of c ➘ 2 teacher would clap a steady beat and challenge them
purposive questions during instruc- to ta the correct rhythm against the given tempo.

tional activities was critical to keep- c ➘ 3 Why arrange the notes vertically, and why discern
ing students engaged in the lessons. the numbers one note at a time? The vertical organi-
To offset the inability to hear the c ➘ 4 zation eliminates the horizontal space between notes

singers, we often used questions to as an intuitive guide, and demands that students re-
gauge singers’ understanding, both spond to the value of each note. Analyzing each note

individually and as a group. c ➘ 5 one at a time establishes a critical principle: the beat
We found success in separating number on which a note begins has nothing to do with

pitch and rhythmic skills during the c ➘ 6 the value of that note, but rather, everything to do with
small group musicianship lessons. the value of a previous note. The vertical columns
Half of the choir was in a break- b ➘ 1 2 also eliminate bar lines, so there is no possibility of

out room to practice rhythmic spotting a bar line and attempting to assign beat
skills while the other half attend- c ➘ 3 numbers by working backwards. Fluent sight-read-
ed a break-out room focusing on ing is a linear phenomenon, operating (in normal
pitch and solfege; we then switched music) in a left-to-right fashion. Music does not stop;

groups at the indicated time. Each b ➘ 4 5 there are no “do-overs.”

instructor created lessons that could As fluency with this process increased, we would

be successful without hearing the c ➘ 6 turn periodically to rhythms seen in a previous ses-
singers, relying on formative assess- sion, without beat numbers present. Students were
ment techniques during the lessons b ➘ 1 given a brief period of time to visualize a correct set

(specifically, utilizing a questioning 2 3 of beat numbers and then perform them as a group,

technique designed to monitor stu- ¾ ➘ (4) followed by a ta performance. It is important to re-
dents’ learning and provide feed- member that writing beat numbers into music is a
back to teachers about the learners’ “training wheels” exercise; true sight-reading is the

progress). b ➘ 5 6 ability to make this analysis internally, silently, and
9
quickly.

CHORAL JOURNAL April 2021 Volume 61 Number 9 77